Chapter 2.1. C Basics

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Chapter 2.1. C# Basics

IN THIS CHAPTER

• The C# Type System

• Programming Concepts

• Arrays

• struct

• Classes

• Interfaces

• Delegates

C# represents a modern object-oriented language that was designed to allow for the expressiveness of C++ with RAD style development found in 4GLs, such as Microsoft Visual Basic. The design of C# was driven by Anders Hejlsberg, the principle language architect at Microsoft. The design and evolution of C# was influenced by such languages as C++, SmallTalk, Java, and other OO languages.

This section will explore the C# language, semantics, and the grammar that comprise the language. It is this careful design that will allow you as a developer to concentrate on the task of building applications that drive your business requirements. The book will also reduce the initial learning curve associated with a new language and framework.

It is important to cover some basic topics before diving into the language itself. First and foremost is that everything in C# is an object. Unlike procedural languages, the C# language does not allow for global data or global functions. All data and methods must be contained within either a struct or a class. This is a key concept in any OO language. All data and the methods that operate on that data should be packaged as a functional unit. These functional units are reusable objects that are self-contained and self-describing .

Although it is not the goal of this text to cover OO design patterns and software engineering, it is important to understand the key concepts of OO design and implementation. C# will allow both advanced and new developers to implement solid code with minimal effort.

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